By JOE SANTAMARIA Yacare kicked off Round Five of the Super Rugby Americas season in style with an impressive 41-24 victory against defending champions Peñarol. […]
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Mitchell: I’d coach women’s Lions
By SAM PARKHOUSE England coach John Mitchell has put his hand up to be the first ever coach of the Women’s British & Irish Lions. […]
Ireland lining up NZ and Wallabies
Ireland will face New Zealand and Australia in their autumn series before head coach Andy Farrell takes his leave of absence to lead the British […]
Global 20-minute red card
SANZAAR want the 20-minute red card to be introduced worldwide with the motion set to be voted on in May. Chief executive Brendan Morris attended […]
Pollock is set for take-off at Saints
By PAUL REES When Henry Pollock signed his first professional contract with Northampton last year at the age of 18, he was hailed as a […]
Fiji star Nayacalevu signs for Sale
Sale have signed Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu from French Top 14 side Toulon on a one-year contract with an option for a further year. He […]
England unleash taste of things to come
SIX NATIONS 2024 By NICK CAIN France………………………….. 33pts Tries: Le Garrec 20, Barre 56, Fickou 60 Conversions: Ramos 21, 57, 62 Penalties: Ramos 18, 32, […]
England prove they are a force again
SIX NATIONS 2024 PAUL REES The Six Nations saved the best to last. France sealed second place ahead of England in a compelling match in […]
England must not drop this standard
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK ONE of the hardest aspects of sport is to get grounded again to repeat what you have done […]
‘If that was my last game, it wasn’t too bad’
Ireland skipper Peter O’Mahony will be deciding in the coming weeks whether to end his illustrious Test career. He said: “I have a few chats […]
Gatland’s offer to resign is rejected by WRU
Wales head coach Warren Gatland offered his resignation to Abi Tierney, chief executive of the WRU, after seeing his side crash to Italy in their […]
Gloucester end long wait for silverware
By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ………………….. 23pts Tries: Atkinson 47, Jordan 50 Conversions: Barton 47, 50 Penalties: Evans 40, Barton 55, 65 Leicester ……………………… 13pts Tries: […]
Winning feels so special for Zach
After winning the Premiership Cup, star man, Gloucester No.8, Zach Mercer, said: “I came to Gloucester to win things. I did that at Montpellier and […]
Italy wins ignite the Six Nations
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The game-changing force of last weekend’s Six Nations tales of the unexpected cannot be exaggerated. The fourth […]
I doubt Le Garrec would be snared easily under any laws
NICK CAIN NOLANN Le Garrec’s spectacular 40-metre reverse pass to Thomas Ramos just after the half-hour in France’s 45-24 win over Wales last Sunday in […]
England A need to face ‘real’ Portugal
NICK CAIN PORTUGAL face multiple champions Georgia in the Rugby Europe final at the Stade Jean Bouin in Paris today, and the team that they […]
Band of brothers grab the glory
By BEN JAYCOCK France………………………….31pts Tries: Ferte 12, Gourgues 24, Carbonneau 26, Castro 45 Conversions: Reus 13, 25, 27, 46 Penalties: Reus 56 England……………………… 45pts Tries: […]
We need to make most of this team
NICK CAIN THE England U20s won their first Six Nations title since 2021 with a tremendous second-half effort in which they scored 33 points to […]
Double for Sheahan but Ireland miss out on claiming third title in a row
By NICK JACOBS Ireland…………………………… 36pts Tries: McLaughlin 19, O’Connell 59, Sheahan 70, 80+2; Edogbo 76 Conversions: Murphy 21, 71, 77, 83 Penalties: Murphy 49 Scotland […]
Wales keep discipline to take feisty encounter
By SAM JACKSON Wales……………..27pts Tries: Thomas 46, Beddall 59, Stone 67, Young 71 Conversions: Ford 60, 68 Penalties: Ford 76 Italy……………….. 15pts Tries: Gallorini 15, […]
We are heading in the right direction
SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk ENGLAND’S win against Ireland was tremendous – as […]
This is why you write off England at your peril
FOR any rugby neutral, England-Ireland would have been the game of the tournament. Take away the rivalries/stakes/bragging rights and stripping the game to its core; […]
So great to watch Cov win a thriller
LAST Saturday Coventry defeated Ealing at Butts Park Arena in an absolutely thrilling and pulsating match 34- 32, taking a bonus point for scoring four […]
We need strong finish – Ludlow
By PAUL REES Gloucester have been a cup team this season but skipper Lewis Ludlow is demanding a strong finish to the Premiership campaign which […]
NFL sides look set to take punt on Mallinder
ON THE BLINDSIDE Harry Mallinder’s dream of winning an NFL contract has moved a step closer after the former England U20 captain made it through […]
Vermeulen open to England offer
ON THE BLINDSIDE By GRANT SHUB Jacques Vermeulen, who is eligible for England having been in the UK since 2019, has dreamed of playing for […]
Aussies battling to keep Petaia
ON THE BLINDSIDE Australian utility back Jordan Petaia is being chased by the country’s leading rugby league clubs. Reds flyer Petaia is out of contract […]
Dream Team with Alex Day
The Bedford and former Cornish Pirates, Northampton & Saracens scrum-half chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Paul Andrew – I […]
Relief for Nottingham as Exiles fall short
■By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham…… 31pts Tries: J Olowofela 13, Stronge 18, 33; R Olowofela 30, Valentine 40 Conversions: Arden 18, 30, 34 L Scottish ………28pts […]
Super Saints get in gear for Bears
By JAMES EVANS Northampton ……………. 24pts Tries: Odendaal 4, Sleightholme 19, Davison 37, Baker 50 Conversions: Savala 4, 37 Sale …………………………….. 10pts Tries: R du […]
Five-star Bath run URC leaders ragged
Bath ………………..35pts Tries: Cokanasiga 9, du Toit 34, Spencer 50, Muir 66, 75 Conversions: Bailey 10, 35, 51, 67; Worboys 76 Leinster…………… 7pts Tries: Connors […]
We must not take road to Hulkism
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED Message from receptionist to doctor: “We have an invisible man in the waiting room.” Doctor to receptionist: “Tell him I can’t […]
A stark reminder of rugby finances
CHRIS HEWETT RUGBY’S political scene is quite lively enough when the arguments are being conducted in a sporting echo chamber. When it finds itself up […]
We need to push on, says Easson
SCOTLAND SCOTLAND head coach Bryan Easson wants his side to make a statement in the Six Nations after his side won the WXV2 tournament in […]
Red Roses in mood to make it six titles in a row
Women’s Six Nations team-by-team previews: England Marlie Packer leads the England side aiming to make it six titles in a row. The Saracens skipper will […]
Riffonneau’s going large
FRANCE FORWARDS: FRANCE are looking to topple England for the first time since their 2018 Grand Slam as they aim to bounce back from a […]
Cunningham puts faith in experience
WALES Lock Shona Wakley, who made against Harlequins last Friday. her Wales debut in 2010, makes She made her debut for the a return to […]
Bemand aims for World Cup spot
IRELAND IRELAND are aiming to qualify for the World Cup with a good finish in the Six Nations after finishing bottom of the 2023 championship […]
Giordano leads from front
ITALY BACK rower Elisa Isabella Locatelli, Gaia Maris, Giordano captains Alessia Pilani, Sara Seye, Francesca Sgorbini, Emanuela the Azzurre and Stecca, Sara Tounesi, Silvia will […]
Butt: Race for the title is so tight that every point will count
■By PAUL REES WILL Butt is confident Bath will emerge from the Premiership break on the front foot as they look to secure their first […]
All the pressure’s on us – Cockerill
By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Georgia vs Portugal Today. Kick-off 8pm, Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris Eddie Jones has coached three national teams, South Africa have won two […]
George the Great takes his final bow
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW On a Tuesday afternoon at Anfield in the late autumn of 1993, All Black No.878 made a […]
Only a few can claim not to miss a minute
PETER JACKSON MORE than 200 players lined up on the starting grid for the Six Nations. Six weeks later, those going into the final round […]
All set for a race to the finish
WITH THE PREMIERSHIP RESUMING NEXT WEEKEND, PAUL REES LOOKS AT HOW THE RUNNERS AND RIDERS ARE GEARING UP THE Premiership resumes this week after an […]
I was thrilled to bits to be picked for England
MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER ENGLAND, SALE AND BIARRITZ FLANKER MAGNUS LUND AS most people who know me will attest, I am quite a laidback […]
Lucky? No, that was pure skill
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER THE sainted Antoine Dupont might be on a sabbatical but France enjoyed […]
DID THAT JUST HAPPEN? FIVE OTHER JAW DROPPING MOMENTS
FRANS STEYN DROPPED GOAL (2010) The huge Bok centre was playing for Racing at Clermont. His side were trailing 14-12 when Clermont cleared their lines […]
Supersub Holland proves a big hit for hosts
By GRAHAM COX Blackheath …..36 B Moseley …….12THIS was a comfortable win for Blackheath, built on a firsthalf display that saw the Club secure the four-try […]
Clementson leads major points spree
By JOHN VAUGHAN Chinnor………………..80 Bishop’s S…………… 10 CHINNOR produced a dazzling performance to score 80 points at home for the second successive time. They started the […]
Hayman! Max is Rams’ inspiration
By THOMAS LLEWELLYN Cinderford…………..14 Rams ……………………38 RAMS secured a convincing win at Cinderford to bolster their push for promotion. It was the visitors who took […]